Command
by crazysockmonkeys
Summary: Princess Daphne and Prince Niles are the royalty of two different countries, but when they are of age they are placed in an arranged marriage to each other. Yet another one of my endless supply of AU stories.
1. Chapter 1

It was spring, and the clouds pressed against the green grass without pressure. Sunlight was in abundance, as was rain, and that morning the latter was present to beat against Daphne's window and ease her awake. Light fell upon her pillow and her luxurious covers, her young face aglow in the gray light. She sat up and placed her feet on the plush rug, her nightdress billowing behind her as she picked up her hairbrush. She knew that it she did not do this herself, in a split second someone else would.

And, as if on cue, Brienne, one of her servants, came into her room. "Good morning, Princess. Let me do that for you." Thin, blonde Brienne took the brush from her hand, insisted she sit down, and began to run it through Daphne's dark hair. "Your mother wanted me to tell you that as soon as you get dressed you are to go and see her at once."

Daphne nodded, but didn't say anything. Often her mother wanted her for trivial matters, things that she could care less about personally.

Brienne helped her dress in a violet gown with flickers of green in the skirt and a few more of her servants came and used heat to put her hair in ringlets as big around as her thumb. Daphne never minded any of these things, although some of it seemed a bit much. She had been doing this long enough not to care any longer.

Once she was finally finished, she made her way through the already-busy palace to the queen's chamber, which was ironically nowhere close to hers and her brothers' rooms. Her velvet slippers slid across the soft stairs as her hand glided down the rail without a thought. The castle was bright and lighthearted. Light shined in through large windows on both sides of the rooms and through panels in the ceiling. She passed the main foyer with the impossibly large door that was manned by guards who bowed to her seeing her passing. And each time, she smiled and kept walking. Daphne passed the kitchen, which in its own right was sophisticated and charming, yet there was always a plate of cookies resting on a table near its entrance. Automatically, she took one and bit into it, immediately recognizing its flavor as solid chocolate, her favorite. Everything seemed right that day, as if all would be wonderful. She smiled and, noticing an open space, spun gracefully, leaping slightly at the end. Hoping no one had seen her, she carried on as usual.

When she came to the last few hallways before the queen's chamber, her main servant and best friend Roz came up beside her, whispering, "Just warning you, you aren't going to like what your mother has to say."

"Why not? What is she going to tell me?"

"I should let her tell you. Just be warned."

"Thanks, Roz."

So for the next few steps, Daphne restlessly thought of what her mother might want to talk to her about. Something she had done, some upcoming event perhaps…

Placing her hand on the golden doorknob, Daphne entered the large room carefully. In it was a large, elaborate bed, a tall window, and a sitting area where she and Daphne had their talks, among other things.

"Good morning, Daphne. I thought you'd never get up."

"Good morning, Mother."

"Come here. Sit with me." Gertrude was seated on a ruby couch, and Daphne sat on a couch of the same fashion across from hers. "I know we have our talks quite a lot, but I really need to discuss something important with you today."

"All right, Mother."

"Daphne, as the youngest and only girl in our family, there are certain sacrifices you're going to have to make. I've told you this before, I hope you were listening."

"I was, Mother."

"Good. I'm afraid this is one of those instances where you're going to have to do something, something for your country. The nation of Ardny can be a powerful ally for us, but we've got to strengthen our relationship with them. That's why you, Daphne, must marry their youngest prince."

She was speechless at her mother's command, her lips forming unspoken words, not even knowing where to begin. "Marry him?" Daphne whispered.

"Yes."

"But I've never even met him!"

"Oh, piffle! The same thing happened to me when I was your age, and your father and I got along all right."

"You fight all the time!"

"But we do it in _love!"_

"Mother, I'll stand with everything else that comes with being a princess, but this—"

"It's something we have to deal with, but it's happened more times than you can count. Be mature about this, Daphne. I know you've got it in you." She paused and took a breath. "You leave for Ardny in a month. The wedding date hasn't been set yet."

She sighed. "I can't do this, Mother!"

"You can."

Daphne decided to stop fighting. There was no point in it. "What's his name?" She asked.

"Prince Niles."


	2. Chapter 2

Niles sighed heavily, thinking of the young woman he was supposed to marry, whoever she was anyway. His father had tried to take from the discomfort of the situation after he had been informed of the plans. "Word says she's real pretty, Niles," his father Martin had said. "Not only that, she'll have that fresh little Ordonean accent. Yeah, I always wanted a girl from Ordonea. Ah, but your mother was from Garna, and that wasn't so bad either." His father rambled on for a while longer, until Niles eventually left.

Now, he sat on a bench in the palace statue room, the only place he really felt comfortable. For in the gardens he feared wasps and insects, and anywhere else inside was brimming with people. Here, he could come for peace and quiet.

Statues of former rulers watched him carefully, observing every move he made. How could he possible marry a girl he had never met before? He knew something like this might happen to him, but now it seemed so much more real. Looking down at his feet, he watched as they moved back and forth across the granite floor, his boots swishing softly.

He was reminded of how he had acted around females most of his life—shy and afraid, though kind. There had been a young woman last year, a daughter of one of the guards, who had been hungry for a romance with him. He still remembered the feel of her fingers circling his hand, the tickle of her breath that time when she had gotten too close, the sound of the whisper when she had told him that she knew a place where they could be alone. When their eyes met, his skin had tightened; his voice had become small and weak. It was not a pleasant feeling, like he had heard others describe the emotion of love. Niles knew what she had wanted, not him, but a prince, and that was the most prominent of many reasons why he had rejected her on that cold and wet day, pushing her gently away from him and asking her not to come to him anymore. She had bit her upper lip in a sight he would not soon forget, tossed her hair, and walked away from him, daring to mumble a curse under her breath at him. Niles could have had her punished for doing such a thing if he had wanted to, but he had let her be.

Slowly he eased his hand up to his head, and it fumbled about until it reached his mouth. That was when he heard the simultaneous giggling in the hall he knew could only belong to his brother Frasier and his wife Lilith. He paused and looked out the entryway to see them, hand in hand, kissing with Lilith's four-month-old baby bump in between them. He turned his eyes to the ground while he heard the sounds of their lips smacking together. Honestly, he was surprised to see them like this.

Like his own future destiny, Frasier and Lilith were matched as a result of an arranged marriage. At first, it was an effort for the two to be civil to one another, but as time passed Niles supposed they discovered their mutual physical attraction and how painfully alike they were. He wouldn't ever forget the time when he had seen them out in the garden just three weeks before their wedding, kissing like only young lips could, just as they did now. All for the last few weeks of their betrothal they had not been able to be apart, walking hand in hand everywhere and never peeling their mouths apart for long, so that it was no wonder after five months of marriage they were expecting their first child. Recently, they hadn't been too kind to one another, most likely due to the pregnancy.

Frasier smiled at his wife after they were done. Lilith wasn't particularly tall; with straight black hair she often had her servants put in a bun. She was from Belmill, and her accent clearly said so. Her skin was the color of snow, which many of the girls always seemed to envy.

"Greetings, Niles," called Lilith from the hallway. "I've just been told of your new bride. Congratulations."

"Um, thank you," he called back.

She left and Frasier came to sit next to him. "Yes, dear brother," he said, "your time has come too."

"I can't do this, Frasier. What if she's…pushy and demanding? I can't stop thinking about how she could hate me, or…what if our personalities don't match?."

"She's a princess, Niles. She'll at least have a little bit of refinement in her."

"One does hear tales of women who don't want to be royalty, who run away to a neighboring country or flees to the woods."

"Do you really think you're going to get one of _those?"_

"It's ever a possibility. I loathe the uncertainty, Frasier."

He laughed. "Everyone does when they're in that situation."

"Oh, I know it's childish. It's not like I didn't know I was going to have to do this someday. I saw it happen to you, and you're the crown prince, not some meaningless extra child on the side like me who will never rule."

"Look at what occurred with Lilith and me—"

"I know what happened with you and Lilith, I saw the whole thing."

"Well, that could happen to you. It happened with Dad, didn't it? You've got a pretty good chance."

"Perhaps."

There was a long silence, until Frasier said, "Dad says she's pretty."

"He's never seen her."

"Well, word gets around."

"I suppose so. I don't really care if she's attractive, though."

Frasier smiled, elbowing him in the arm. "Come on."

"Perhaps just a little."

They laughed in a minimal sort of way, and the sound echoed through the room as if it were a canyon.

"Everything feels so weird, Frasier," said Niles, still smiling.

"If it helps, I know her name."

"You do?" 

"Yes. Do you want to hear it?"

"Her name's Princess Daphne."

"Daphne," Niles whispered, and it rang through his head.

"Niles?" 

"Mmm?"

"Are you thinking about something?"

"No, it's just…it's just a nice name."


	3. Chapter 3

"Good morning, Princess. Today is the day!"

Daphne blinked as Brienne drew the red curtains to let in fresh sunlight, and she then slowly rose from bed. "I'm ready," she said.

"That's the spirit!" Brienne helped her dress and put her hair up; then guards came to take Daphne's trunks to the carriage she'd be riding in. Everything was too much for Daphne at the moment. When would she be back to the palace, her home? Would she ever return here? Looking around, she had so little time to say goodbye to everything. She would see her family again at the wedding, but what about after that? Would she be forced to stay with only her new family, present in her mind as unknown faces? The world seemed strange to her, and she had two weeks of traveling to endure now.

Servants whispered as Daphne stepped outside of the front doors of the palace. Her family appeared to be in a perfect line on the marble steps, their faces unreadable. All ten of them watched her as she went down the line, receiving eight kisses on her cheek from her brothers, a bear hug from her father, and a dainty squeeze from her mother. "Remember why you're doing this, Daphne," she whispered. "For Ordonea. And you should also remember that I love you and I'm proud of you."

She wanted to be mad at her mother with all of her heart, but it was not enough. Daphne began to cry. "I love you too, Mother, and I promise I won't forget."

Slowly, she began to walk to her carriage, while guards and others traveling with her mounted their horses. She saw through watery and blurry eyes as she sat on the velvet bench. Everything was silent now, and she couldn't even hear horses outside. Her head leaned against the window, and in a moment she saw and felt movement. Away they went, away from her home, away from the palace and everything familiar to her, and closer to the unknown, closer to the frightening.

They rode through trees until they reached the village, a place Daphne had only seen a few times in her life. She perked up when she saw people craning their necks to see her, their faces adorned with smiles at the sight of the princess's carriage. She grinned and waved at them until they had gotten out of the city and there was nothing but hopeless countryside, fields of growing beans and potatoes. Leaning her head against the window, she wished to be outside.

Looking out her right window, she saw Roz riding next to her, who waved enthusiastically at her. Daphne opened the door to speak to her.

"Hello, princess," said Roz. "Must be nice riding in there, huh?"

"Would you like to? I think I'd rather ride your horse."

"Are you serious?"

Daphne nodded. Roz looked behind her, dismounted, and climbed in the carriage. Daphne got on the house quickly and began to ride. It was much better outside. Although there wasn't too much to see, her surroundings were cool and fresh to her skin, and Roz seemed to be enjoying herself.

After awhile, Daphne asked the driver of the carriage if there was a way Roz's horse could pull it as well, so the two ladies could sit inside and talk. There was way, and for the rest of daylight they sat on the soft seat cushions and spoke about what was to come. Roz said she was eager to meet the new guards and hoped they'd be attractive. To Daphne, she seemed so excited about going, so eager to start anew. How Daphne envied her. Why couldn't she feel that way?

The next two weeks passed in about the same fashion. When darkness fell, they caravan would pitch tents and camp, and early in the morning they would set off again. Daphne worried and worried until that day with they reached the capitol of Ardny.

The palace looked like her home, only it was much, much larger. Daphne saw even from inside the carriage Roz's excitement about the whole thing. The sight of the palace provoked many emotions in her, but thrill was not one of them.

The group pulled up in front of the palace and Daphne got out. Two guards met her sides and the horseback riders went to the stables to dismount. She was escorted up the steps while a line of unfamiliarly dressed safeguards stood on both sides. Her skirts were pinched between her fingers as she ascended. The doors were opened for her, and once she entered the castle they closed behind her.

A woman with what Daphne perceived to be a servant's uniform on approached her. "Princess Daphne of Ordonea, on behalf of the country of Ardny and our royalty, I welcome you to our palace, your new home!" The princess was surprised with the woman's happy tone and said clearly, "Thank you. I'm delighted to be here." She forced a smile.

"Lovely, just lovely. You will meet your prince and his family tomorrow. Until then, I will be giving you a tour of the grounds. My name is Aurora, and I'm head of the kitchen here." Daphne wondered why on earth she had been picked to give the tour, but it didn't really matter to her.

She was shown where she would be staying until the wedding, the gardens, the kitchen, the main court, the ballroom, the bathrooms, the dining hall, and the observation deck on the top floor of the palace. The last place she was shown was quite an oddity and it stuck in Daphne's mind. It was a statue room, something she had never even heard of before.

"Here we have a collection of statues from across Ardny's timeline. Kings and Queens live on here, having their likenesses carved out of bronze. You know, the prince rather likes spending time here," she said in a different tone, as if she was off tour-guide mode. "Normally this is where one would be able to find him."

Aurora led Daphne away and took her back up to her own room.

* * *

That night, Daphne tossed and turned as the darkness curled around her. It seemed as if tomorrow marked the beginning of the rest of her life, and how could she possibly sleep before a day like that? She stared at the ceiling and let her thoughts wander. Suddenly, she got an idea.

She could go to the statue room and perhaps clear her mind. She was pretty sure she knew the way, and she had sneaked past guards before. Placing her feet on the rug, she opened the door and carefully walked down the long and dark hallway.

At the end of it was the main staircase, the door being at its feet. Knowing that most of the guards were outside and some of them were walking about, she waited until the coast was clear and bounded down the steps, hiding behind a fainting couch until clarity was again reached. She did this a few more times until she had finally reached the statue room in a secluded part of the palace. No guards were on duty there.

She sighed as she entered, looking at the curious creatures. In the darkness, it looked even stranger than before. A statue of a far-off queen held her hands by her side, and Daphne slid her fingers around an extravagantly carved right around the statue's middle finger. She got lost looking at the frozen people until she heard a sound, one like a sneeze perhaps. As she had been doing all night, Daphne hid got down and hid behind a statue. Listening, she heard a sniff and then quiet. Ever so gradually, she stretched her head and peered around the statue, her eyes alert. That was when she saw blue eyes looking back at her. At first she was terrified, then she began to think and realized what was happened. She slipped upwards, her hands still on the bronze, half her body still behind it. "It's all right," she whispered.

The young man did the same, rising to his feet yet still keeping almost hidden.

Daphne felt the cool of the metal against her cheek. "Are you…Prince Niles?"

"I am. And you're…"

"Princess Daphne."

"YOU ARE?"

Daphne shushed him and giggled. "Yes. We're not supposed to meet until tomorrow. Although I suppose things aren't going exactly as planned."

"I…I…um…what-what are you doing here?"

"I got shown this place today and I couldn't sleep. It's lovely."

"Yes, yes, dear me, it certainly is…lovely."

"I'm sure I'm not supposed to be down here. Imagine what your family would think if they caught me sneaking out of my room!"

"Oh, well, they'd…I'd make sure they'd never…um…they won't ever find out."

"It's funny, us meeting like this. It seems like everyone wants all this formal stuff between us, and here we are meeting in the middle of the night in our pajamas!"

"Yes, it is funny isn't it?"

They giggled again and it echoed through the room.

"I never expected this, did you?" Asked Daphne.

"No, never in my life did I ever think…I…no, I never did."

"I should be getting back, I guess. Now that I've talked to you it will be a lot easier to sleep."

"Mmm, yes."

"Goodnight, Prince Niles."

"Pleasant dreams, Princess Daphne."

"Aren't you sweet?" And with that, Daphne scurried away to her room.


	4. Chapter 4

"Morning, your highness," called the deep voice of Clarke, one of Niles' manservants. "I doubt I need remind you of what is to be done today. You'll meet your new bride."

Niles flashed back to the night before and found himself chuckling with a pathetic smile on his face.

So beautiful. His new wife-to-be was breathtaking, to say the least. Upon seeing her his heart had stretched and conformed, warping the shape of his chest most likely. And now, he'd see her in full light, in full dress, and he couldn't be more thrilled.

"Are you excited?" Asked Clarke.

Niles choked out another bought of awkward laughter. "Yes."

"I'll say you are. Pardon my saying so, but I do not think I have ever seen so much color in those cheeks."

The prince shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, well…"

"Never mind that for now. The day's here and we have quite a bit of work to do."

It took two hours for Niles to be deemed "physically suited" to meet Princess Daphne. He found the situation laced with dramatic irony, knowing that she had already seen him in his nightclothes.

After he was ready, Lacey, one of the head servants, told him, "Now your highness, this event will take place down in the throne room in just a few minutes. What you are to do is to sit in your rightful place beside your father and they will announce…your new wife. You will see her, walk up to her, kiss her hand, and the celebratory ball will begin."

"Ball…ball?" Niles remembered that such a thing had happened when Frasier met Lilith, yet he had completely forgotten about it.

"Yes, and I'm sure I don't need to tell you that you will need to dance with the Princess." Lacey smiled.

"Dance?"

"Yes your highness, by you needn't worry. All of the experience you've earned in your dance classes will suffice."

Niles sighed. Yes, he was supposed to have had years of dance classes by now, but as a child he had managed to make a deal with his instructor and he had had exactly three lessons. Now he knew it was a painfully childish thing to do, but he was also relieved that he had never had to take them. The awkward shuffling to feet, the smashed toes…

He began to worry. Lacey smiled again. "Oh, don't pick now to get nervous. Come now, give us all a hearty smile! Today you'll meet your wife, the woman you'll be spending the rest of your life with!"

Niles managed a smile and she clapped her hands. "Ah, there it is! Come along your highness, it's time!" Slipping her hand into his, she lead him down the hallway and opened the door quietly. "Go on in," she whispered. "Sit down and wait for her. Good luck! I haven't seen her myself, but I'm sure she's lovely!"

"She is…I mean, I'm quite sure she is as well."

He sat down at his throne, the ornate chair made of silver and green velvet. He ran careful fingers over the top of his head. His blonde hair was slicked back smooth and shiny, and he smelled like…roses, perhaps? He wasn't quite sure.

King Martin came and sat next to Niles on his own throne, looking at his son and giving him a reassuring nod. No matter how much Niles appreciated his father's gesture, his insides were tight and his heart pulsed in his ears louder than anything he had ever felt. Frasier arrived a few moments later, off in his own world. Leaning his head against the back of the chair, he bit his lips tightly. He wasn't nervous about Daphne, but he was nervous because of the attention he'd be getting…the stares from everyone around him. Delegates, guards, and servants filled the room, clearing a path through the middle for the princess. An orchestra sat near the back, and Niles could hear them tuning their instruments softly. Closing his eyes, he waited and waited for the fanfare…

Until it came. Two men parted the doors and out came Princess Daphne, all on her own.

Niles felt as if he was rising out of his chair. She was dressed in a wine-colored dress, with embroidered flowers and small flecks of gems sewn into them. Her hair was parted on the side and was straight and shining, her lips were crimson and ripe. In his eyes she shown like a star and he barely heard the announcement, "Presenting to the royalty of Ardny Princess Daphne of Ordonea." Everyone in the room was at their feet.

Daphne's eyes were fixed on the Prince and she smiled not only for her audience, but for him. When she was directly in the center of the floor, she paused, and Niles remembered what to do just before he did it. He walked down the marble steps and came to her, touching her for the first time by taking her hand. Bringing his lips down, Niles let them sink into the skin of the back of her hand and let slip, louder than he had meant to, the words, "You're beautiful."

He heard gasps and murmurs from the audience and looked to see smiles and hands over hearts. That was when the orchestra began to play, and Niles felt the floor drop out from under him.

"Morning, Prince Niles."

"Good morning, Princess Daphne."

"Please, you can just call me Daphne."

"Then I must insist that you address me as Niles."

"All right. I guess we should dance, huh?"

All around them, people were grabbing partners and beginning to dance. "Ah, yes…well…" Niles began, suffering under a large weight.

"What is it?"

"Daphne," he whispered. "I-I can't."

"Sure you can. Come on, don't be nervous. I'm sure you've danced with lots of girls before. I'm no different."

Niles thought about how dreadfully wrong she was and shook his head. "No, I mean…I can't dance, I don't know how."

"You've never had dancing lessons? How can anyone expect us to dance?"

"Well, you see, I had them…but…" He trailed off, trying to pull the stubborn words out of his mouth.

"No matter. We had better start dancing now or else everyone will suspect something's wrong. I guess I'll have to show you. You put your hand here," she said, placing Niles' hand around her waist, "and take my other hand. That's perfect, Niles, but you're so far away, don't be nervous, come closer. We have to touch a little bit." She smiled at him and rested her body against his softly.

He twisted his lips at the feeling of her and looked into her eyes, which weren't so far away. "Now stand up tall, I know you can do that," she went on. As Niles got more instruction he barely paid attention, but rather focused on her face and…just…_her. _ He was uncomfortable, but it was a good uncomfortable, one he didn't want to go away. She was becoming everything that he had ever wanted out of his life and he had only just met her, and what was better is that he knew that they would always be together, as husband and wife. He wouldn't need to worry about losing her. They'd fall for each other deeply and be happy, he knew it. They danced for a while, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly, and in one song Daphne had them dance slowly with their chins resting on each other's shoulders. He didn't mind one bit and loved the feeling her cheek against his.

"Niles," she whispered to him, "I'm dreadfully sorry."

"What about?" He murmured with his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry that we have to be married. I know it's not what either of us wants."

Niles' eyes sprang open and he swallowed hard.

"I just…as a little girl my nursemaids used to tell me about princesses falling in love with handsome commoners from the country and finding true love on their own account. I suppose that's always been my ideal, to find my true love, the one person I'm supposed to be with. It was a silly dream, but I did love it. I guess I won't find him now, and he won't find me."

Niles' heart raced and it felt as if he had been kicked in the stomach. What was he doing anyway? He had only just met Daphne, and now he was upset because she didn't want to marry him…in an arranged marriage. Only yesterday afternoon he had felt the same way, yet somehow…

"I'm…I'm sorry too, Daphne."

"Neither of us should be apologizing, it's not our fault."

"No, it's not."

"Niles, for a first-time dancer, you certainly are good."

His face glowed. "Oh…thank you, Daphne. You are very talented yourself."

"Thank you very much. Are you ready for a break? I'd love to meet your father and brother."

* * *

That evening, as Niles lie in bed, he listened to rain outside and tossed and turned as he thought about what Daphne had told him earlier. What if…she would never be happy? All he wanted was for her to be with someone she loved, but he wanted her as his wife. Maybe he could help her escape…find her true love…

He squeezed his eyes shut, knowing that was madness. Daphne was sensible enough to know not to do such a thing. She'd grow to be content with him, surely.

Turning over, Niles thought again about something he wished had happened that day. He wished she would have felt the same away about him as he had felt about her, and then after darkness came they would meet in the statue room. He would kiss her in the light coming from the windows, letting every fear he had had about marriage slip away as he fastened his arms around her.

But that was lunacy. He had only known her for a day, and certainly, certainly it was too early to be having such thoughts. It was much to early to say that she was the one that he wanted over everyone else.

Yet, did it matter? After all, they were to be married anyways, whether they loved each other or not. It couldn't hurt to know that she was the one...or maybe…

Conflicted, Niles shifted again and prayed for sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

"The prince seems nice," said Roz after the ceremony. "I'd say you don't have anything to worry about."

"I'm sure I don't, Roz," Daphne had replied. "It's just…going to take some getting used to, that's all."

And Daphne had worked on just that. For two weeks after she had spent as much time with Niles as possible, talking to him and letting him show her everything there was to see in the palace. She told him things about her, and he did the same. They spoke of their families and servants. They even spoke of private things, things they had never told anyone else.

Now, they sat on the bench in the statue room just like every day, letting the sun smother their backs. "Niles, I wanted to ask you," Daphne began, "do you know who all of these people in the statues are?"

"Some of them, yes," he said, getting up and walking to one directly in front of them. "This is Crown Princess Agatha Crystanne, who lived many years ago and was destined to rule before she was kidnapped and was found dead in the snow some weeks later."

"That's terrible."

"This is King Harlen Brenton, one of our greatest rulers who lead Ardny to victory over three countries, and this is…" Niles stopped and looked at Daphne, who sighed staring at the statues.

She thought about past rulers of all the countries in the world, all of the people who had had to be in arranged marriage for their country. Looking at herself, she was no different. And Niles, Niles was being perfectly mature and letting on like marrying her was no problem at all. He was so gentlemanly, and so devoted to his country…how she wished she could be like him.

"What are you thinking about, Daphne?" Asked Niles.

"Nothing, nothing." She paused for a moment, thinking about something for them to do to take her mind off what was going on. "Niles, can we go out to the garden?"

"Oh course, Daphne. If you would like to."

They had only been outside once since it had been shown to Daphne on her first tour. Niles seemed uneasy out there, but perhaps it had only been on that one day.

After they had gotten outside, they strolled through the gardens, under trellises and over small bridges. They stopped near the edge and a while fence, where guards paced back and forth, and sat down on a marble bench. It was afternoon, and the weather was warm and pleasant. Daphne looked over the fence and only saw blue sky because of its height. "What is over that fence?" She asked Niles.

"A grassy field, I believe, and beyond that is the forest."

Daphne's thoughts began to turn and she looked over at him. "Niles…would you like to go explore that field?"

"But…how…"

"We can sneak passed the guards, we've done it before. Don't worry, I can understand if you don't want to."

He was silent for a moment; then he chimed in, "Let's do it."

Daphne took Niles' hands in hers and they walked quietly to the swinging gate on the far end of the gate. "I think it only locks from the outside," he whispered.

"How will we get back in?"

"I know of a window the servants like to keep open in the summertime."

She nodded. Daphne counted to three, and when the counting was through they ran, opened the gate quickly, and then shut it softly behind them, chuckling at the feeling of freedom. "I've never broke the rules like that before," said Niles with a smile.

Daphne nodded, looking out over the field. It was green, with rolling hills that lead into plush green trees.

"What would you like to do?" Asked Niles.

Suddenly, Daphne began to run, calling to Niles, "Catch me!" as she ran.

"Catch you? Daphne, I can't…"

She stopped and looked back at him. "Come now, didn't you ever play tag with your brother when you were younger?"

"Yes, but he always won."

"It won't be so bad, I promise. Please, Niles, I know it's silly, but I'm plain tired of being proper right now."

Niles twisted his lips. "All right," he said, taking off.

They ran around in the hills laughing while Niles attempted to catch Daphne. When they had come to the top of a hill, he was close and the tried to touch her back, but tripped and ended grabbing a hold of her skirt, accidentally pulling her down. The grass greeted them and gravity took its course. The hill was long, and they found themselves uncontrollably rolling down it until the bottom came, and force rolled her on top of Niles and it was there that they stopped.

Giggling, they looked into each other's eyes at not only the stupidity of what they had done, but also the awkwardness of where they were. Something caught Daphne from moving and they sat there for a moment, lying in the grass and breathing heavily, the smiles now gone from their faces. They stared intently at each other's faces, inching closer. Daphne felt Niles' hand caressing her back and wrapping around her tighter. Their noses were touching now and they closed their eyes, waiting for a kiss that never came.

It was Daphne who broke the spell as she realized what she was doing. "Oh, Niles, what am I doing? I'm so sorry, I…" She put her hands on the grass beside him and pushed herself up and off of him, his touch sticking to her skin.

"Daphne, please don't be sorry."

"But Niles…I dragged you out of the castle and then forced you into playing a silly game with me, and the next thing I know…"

"But Daphne…" 

"Niles, this is my fault. You're so perfect at this, and I'm perfectly awful. I'm sorry you had to get me as your wife."

"I'm not sorry, Daphne. I'm glad to have you. I feel…_so lucky."_

"That's so sweet of you. I'm lucky to have gotten you too."

"Daphne, I think there's something I should tell you, something you need to…"

"Niles, can you tell me later? I really think we should get back to the palace now."

"Yes, of course, you're right."

They stood up and Niles led the way to where the open window was, but when they arrived they found it to be closed.

"Oh…I don't understand. Every time I've walked by for the past few weeks this window has been open."

"What do we do now?" Daphne asked.

"We have no choice but to…call attention to ourselves. I guess we'll have to knock on the gate where we went out."

"What will happen then?"

"Well, my father will cross, but don't worry. He's reasonable…most of the time."

As Niles walked in front of her, tears began to seep down her face, feeling terrible about what she had done.


	6. Chapter 6

When Niles and Daphne re-entered the palace gates, a guard had taken them to King Martin and he had been made aware of what had happened. Now, they stood in front of him in his throne room, carefully awaiting their punishment.

"I don't know what you two were thinking!" Cried Martin, his eyes fixated on Niles and Daphne. "I mean, I know you're just kids, but…"

The voice of his father cut away from Niles' ears as thought about that what had just happened…Daphne had been so close to him, and he had almost felt her lips on his like he had been fantasizing about. He couldn't possibly concentrate on his father's lecture now, not when Daphne had almost kissed him.

"…but, I guess I'm being too hard on you two. It's not like I didn't do anything like this when I was your age."

"Thank you, your highness," said Daphne.

"I suppose you two are getting to know each other," said Martin, grinning knowingly at Niles. He bit his bottom lip and looked down.

"Yes, we are," said Daphne brightly. "Has there been any talk of when the wedding will be?"

"Uh, we're thinking of having it on Christmas Eve."

"That's longer than I thought," said Niles.

"We wanted to have it sooner too, but we've got a lot of things happening at the palace between now and December."

"I see," said Niles.

After he and Daphne had left, he said to her, "That wasn't as bad as I was expecting."

"No, not nearly. You should see my mother when I've done something wrong. Screaming, throwing out curses, stomping her feet…"

"How awful for you."

"I got used to it. I miss her."

Niles looked over Daphne, who was staring down at the ground as she walked. It was so unfair that she had to leave her family. He wished that it had been him who had left home instead of her, that way if she had to marry him she could at least be at home.

_No, no, _he reminded himself. _You mustn't think she won't want to marry you. You must assume the best. _

"I miss my mother too," he said, erasing his thoughts and putting a hand on her shoulder as they sat on a couch in one of the halls, which was currently void of people.

"If you don't mind my asking, what happened to her?"

"She died of a sickness when I was younger."

"I'm sorry," she said, putting a hand on his.

Niles felt his heart rate skyrocket at her touch. "It's all right," he cleared his throat, "it's all right."

They were silent for a moment and Daphne leaned her head against his shoulder. His mind began to race and he looked at her tenderly. She looked back and smiled at him.

"Daphne?"

"Yes?" She said, moving away from him suddenly.

"I should tell you something…something I was going to tell you earlier…"

"What is it?"

"Daphne, I know…I know you don't want to get married, and I understand, but I-I think you're absolutely beautiful and…I think I love you."

"Oh, Niles…" She looked concerned and held his hand again.

"I was captivated from the first day I saw you."

"Are you sure? It hasn't been that long."

He smiled. "I've never been more sure of anything."

She stared down at her hands. "I'm sorry, Niles, I'm such a…"

"Why are you sorry?" He squeezed her hand.

"Me and my stupid dreams! Of course I had to tell you all about me wanting to find love on my own, and then I got you in trouble today! I must've made you feel awful!"

"No Daphne, please don't feel that way! I don't want you to be hurt."

She turned toward him and smiled. "You're so caring, Niles."

As they looked at each other again, Niles had a hard time reading her expression, but he felt something from her. She put a hand on his chest and leaned toward him slowly, easing herself toward him. Niles' eyes fluttered closed before he knew what was happening, but soon he was made aware. Daphne was kissing him gently, and he returned the favor, wrapping his arm around her back. After a few seconds, he brought her closer, feeling the warmth from her cheeks. There was silence through the hall except for their breath, and he began to get goose bumps.

Suddenly, Niles felt Daphne growing cold and she broke away from him. "Oh, Niles!" She stood up, almost angrily. "What am I doing? I can't believe I just…again… I'm sorry."

She began to run away from him, and he ran after her. "Daphne, please, don't go, why are you so upset?"

Daphne flipped around and exclaimed, "Because I don't love you!"

Niles felt his heart fall to the ground and shatter, the pieces falling into every corner of his body.

"And I think I've given you the impression that I do," she added. "Niles, I'm not sure what's wrong with me. All I know is, I won't let myself do it again."

He couldn't get words out to stop her from running away.

* * *

"Niles, Dad wants to know why you haven't come out of your room all evening."

"Come in, Frasier," Niles called to his brother. He was lying on his bed, hugging his knees to his chest like a forlorn child.

"What ever is the matter, Niles?"

"Daphne..."

Frasier sighed. "What happened? Did you tell her how you feel about her?"

"Yes."

"So…what happened?"

"She kissed me."

"Niles, would you just tell me what's wrong? She kissed you, then what?"

"She said that she had made a mistake, that she didn't love me."

"And you didn't already know that?"

"Of course I knew that," he murmured. "But it's one thing to know someone doesn't love you and another to have her say it to your face."

"It's only been two weeks. Give it time. She did kiss you."

Niles smiled minimally. "So she did. I just can't get her voice out of my head, I can't stop hearing those words."

"Come on. We're going to have dessert now. Plum cake."

"I hate plum cake."

"Niles, if I may say so, suck it up."

The younger brother chuckled. "Fine, if Dad wants to see me, I'll go." He paused. "Is…Daphne going to be there?"

"No."

"Perhaps it's best we keep our distance." As Niles said the words, all he could think about was how much he wanted to see her, even thought doing so would only bring him pain.


	7. Chapter 7

Daphne's eyes were wet and red as she sat up and looked at herself in the mirror. What would she do? What would she say to Niles, "I'm sorry"? That had already messed everything up.

It seemed like everything she thought about saying to him wouldn't work in this situation. She hadn't lied, she didn't love him, but that was no reason to scream it in his face after all. Daphne would never forget the look in his eyes after she had said those words; it was a sort of fog, almost like a wave of distress had come over him.

She had to speak to him. There was no way they could go long without talking to each other anyways, they would have to see each other. Taking a deep breath, Daphne began to walk towards the door when Roz opened it herself and stepped inside. "Hey, Princess. What's up? Sorry I've been gone for so long, it's just…" She paused for a moment. "Have you been crying?"

Daphne didn't say anything, and Roz asked, "Why? What's wrong?"

"I told Niles…I said…" She breathed deeply and finally got out. "He said he loved me and I kissed him and…"

"Wait…you kissed him?" 

"Yes."

"Whoa!"

"I kissed him and then I said…I said I didn't love him."

"Just a minute, let's go back to what you said earlier…you _kissed _him? And then you said that you didn't love him."

"Yes."

"Princess, if it were anyone but you, I wouldn't be so surprised, but I know that you wouldn't kiss a guy if you didn't have at least some feeling for him."

"Exactly! That's why I don't know what's wrong with me. He's just so…"

"Cute?"

"Yes, that's it. But I can't believe I made him think that I actually loved him. Roz, you should have seen his face after I left him there. I can't let myself make that mistake again."

"Maybe you do love him."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. Hey, I don't know, maybe you're just…suppressing it. You think you're not in love, but actually—"

"I have to go."

"What? Where?"

"To…to talk to him. Where is he?"

"Well, he and his family just finished dessert. I saw him head for the balcony after that."

"Thank you." With that, Daphne left the room and began to stroll through corridors and did her best to remember where the balcony was.

When she looked out the glass balcony doors, the sun was setting and leaving a beautiful flow of orange and pink in the lake below. All around the lake were trees and floating boats. Closer to her she saw Niles, sitting on a bench overlooking everything. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and the sound of chirping crickets greeted her. She cleared her throat and Niles flipped around to see her still standing in the doorway. His eyes lowered and his body language became awkward, his hands flitting about his knees. "He-hello, Daphne," he said softly.

"Hello Niles," she said, closing the door behind her and sitting down next to him. They were silent for long moments, staring at the running colors in the water. "It's a lovely evening, isn't it?"

"Mmm? Oh, yes."

"Niles, I know I've said I'm sorry about ten times today, but I really do want to apologize about earlier."

"You were just telling the truth and expressing your feelings," he said flatly.

"But I know that I hurt you, and I didn't mean to."

"Don't worry about me."

"Niles," she said, grasping his hand. "I don't love you, but that doesn't mean I don't like you, or that I won't ever love you. I've given you the wrong impression here." 

He said nothing and Daphne sighed. "I forgive you, Daphne," he said after a few moments. "But why did you kiss me?"

"Oh…" She had been afraid he'd ask this question. Why did everything have to be so complicated? "There's something about you, Niles, something so sweet and lovely. You're so perfect and you're very handsome. I guess I just couldn't help myself. And then you said that you loved me…"

He smiled, and her heart fluttered. "You're the perfect one," he whispered, looking at her deeply.

She squeezed his hand and ribbons of heat went up her arm. There came the feeling again, looking at him. Maybe Roz was right, maybe…

No, no. That was silly. They barely knew each other, and her feelings for him were no more than...no more than…

Her thoughts were interrupted by Niles' hand coming up to her face, and he wrapped a lock of her hair around his fingers and then tucked it behind her ear. She felt like a terrible person. Even if what she had said earlier was true, he loved her so much and she couldn't give him the same, just promises for some sort of love in the future, and how did she know that would come to pass?

She suddenly realized that her thumb was moving across the hand she was holding. Niles was staring at her hand and immediately she pulled it away and placed it on her lap.

"We can't keep our hands off each other today, can we?" Said Daphne with a smile. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"It doesn't matter." 

They were quiet for a little while, looking into the darkness that had fallen.

"Well, I should go," said Daphne. "Get a good night's rest, Niles."

"You too, Daphne," he said as she stood up, opened the door, and walked back to her room.


	8. Chapter 8

Niles was nervous for some reason. His heart fluttered and his knees shook as he stood behind the door to the main room.

It had been a month since Niles and Daphne's discussion on the balcony at sunset, and not much had changed. They still were with each other constantly, but there was something keeping them apart. Niles would look at her with hopeless longing, knowing that she didn't love him. And he wondered, after all, if she ever would.

Tonight there was a grand dinner in which he and Daphne would be the main focus of attention. At the fanfare they would both enter the room from different sides and step to the middle to join each other, and just like the day that he had danced with her, he waited for the sound of the trumpets, leaning his forehead against the door.

That's when he heard them. Niles pulled up tall and opened the door to see Daphne walking towards him. The sight of her pulled the air from his lungs.

Her dress was a vision. It was bedecked with flecks of jewels from head to toe. Up around her shoulders and over her arms the gown was see-through with the sparkle of the gems, and the dress reached to the floor and slid across it as she walked. He ignored the applause from all around and only focused on her.

They met in the middle of the floor and he took her hand and kissed it as he should, whispering, "Daphne…"

He was spellbound by her, more than usual for any reason. They walked into the dining area where the guests were already seated and the attention on them died away. Niles couldn't stop looking at her, his desire for Daphne crowing. And why now? Most likely it was because lately she had seemed so distant from him, so far away, like they weren't even friends like they had been.

They walked over to the table where Niles' family sat and he vaguely heard Frasier remark, "You look lovely in that dress, Princess."

"Yes," Lilith replied. "If I wore such a dress in my state I would look like a ball of glitter. But on you, it does look charming. And it's obvious this one here can't keep his eyes off of you." She motioned to Niles and his face glowed red.

Everyone at the table laughed except for him and Daphne.

"Well, thank you both," said Daphne. "It is lovely."

"Forget the dress," said Martin, "try the food. This chicken is so…"

"Father!" Frasier scolded. "We are in a room full of guests. Please, try to eat more dignified."

King Martin stopped, looking down at his plate. "Oh, sorry," he said.

Niles looked down at his food and began to eat it for the first time, attempting to calm himself down. He took a long gulp of ice water and sat the cup back down on the table gently.

"You know," Martin began, "there's something different about you two lately."

"What do you mean?" Asked Daphne.

"You know, for the first two weeks you were so flirty, and now I barely see you guys talking anymore. Something happen?"

The floor dropped out from under Niles and he piped in, "Nothing's wrong, Dad, nothing's…changed. We're just the same as we've always been."

"Okay," said Martin, giving them suspicious looks.

The five ate in silence for a little while until conversations returned to the way they usually were and Niles relaxed.

After they had finished, Niles and Daphne, Lilith and Frasier, and Martin went around to greet the guests. Once each table had been visited, the dancing began to start.

Niles was nervous around Daphne now, and not in a good way like it was before. But as they danced he couldn't help but notice the way she held her head close to his and how she let her fingers set deep into his skin.

"You really do look beautiful," he said.

"Thanks," she said with a smile. "I do like the dress. Not that I would wear it all the time. It's rather uncomfortable."

They had leaned in closer to each other now, perhaps by accident, but Daphne didn't pull away.

Niles became angry all of a sudden, angry because she was doing it again, claiming she didn't love him but sending him all of the signals to say that she did. He was angry, angry but dazed by her touch.

They danced as such well into the ball, and Niles heard words from the guests behind him.

"_Look at them, in love so soon."_

"_They make a lovely couple, don't they?"_

"_Remember when we were that crazy about each other?" _

Niles wanted to shout at someone, at Daphne or at these people around him. He bit his lip hard, so hard that Daphne asked, "Niles, what's wrong?"

"I want you to meet me in the statue room after the dinner."

She nodded, looking concerned. "All right."

* * *

And indeed, when the two had been dismissed from the dinner, Niles was waiting for Daphne in the statue room. It was dark, and he did not bother to turn the lights on. It felt just like the night that they had met, but different in a negative sort of way.

He saw Daphne come and walk through the statues to meet him at the bench where he was sitting. Curious, she sat down next to him and asked, "What is it, Niles?"

"Daphne…I need you to be honest with me. I need you to really tell me the truth. Do you love me?"

She sat in silence for a long moment, and the anger rose back up in Niles.

"I can't do this anymore," he said, raising his voice. He stood up and walked a few steps away, putting distance between them. "Daphne, you say that you don't love me and then you send me clear signals that point to…" He paused, already exhausted. "You know how I feel about you. And it's so heartbreaking for me without you. But Daphne, you either love me or you don't, I can't be kept in between any longer. Please."

She looked at him softly and whispered, "I…think…I do."

He smiled.

"I'm sorry, Niles. I think that I always have, but I didn't want to really admit it until now. But I do. And I'm so glad that we're getting married."

"So am I. I promise you, Daphne, we'll be so happy." He walked back to her and sat on the bench again, smoothing a hand over her face. "You look so beautiful. Earlier I felt so hopeless, because I love you so much and you—"

He was interrupted by Daphne's lips on his. The kiss started off desperate and choppy until it became smooth and passionate. Niles moaned softly and they broke away once before kissing again. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in more, not being able to get enough of her. All of a sudden, Daphne began to laugh and she pulled away. Niles began to laugh too, although he didn't know why. He was so happy now. "Daphne, I love you. I love—" Her lips interrupted him once more and she leaned into him so much he almost fell off the bench. She slipped her fingers into his hair and then began to laugh again. Their lips separated but they did not move, their faces still so close.

"Why are you laughing, Daphne?"

"It's just that…they're watching us," she whispered, tilting her head in the direction of the statues. The words sent them into a chorus of laughter, and something that would have been only slightly funny before seemed hilarious.

"I should go to bed now," she said.

"Yes, so should I."

They were unable to move for a few moments until finally they moved away from each other. Hand in hand they moved through the hallway to Daphne's room. Niles squeezed her hand and said, "I love you."

"I love you too."

As he walked back to his own room, it felt as if he were walking on air.

* * *

That night, Niles slept in pleasure, dreaming of being kissed by the goddess that was Daphne.

When he awoke, he felt the same way, eager to see her now. He was still in bed when his father came in the room with a sorrowful look on his face.

"Father, what are you doing here?" Asked Niles.

"Son, I'm sorry I have to tell you this."

"What is it?"

"Last night, we got word from King Harold of Ordonea. They've rethought their alliance with us, and they've called it off."

There was silence in the room, Niles not wanting to believe it to be true. "When does she leave?" He got out.

"Niles, Daphne's already gone."


	9. Chapter 9

The road was dark and troublesome, allowing Daphne's thoughts to drift into the night unnoticed. Anger and depression swirled in her stomach as the coach rolled along the empty roads, lights held by riders in the front of the caravan leading them on.

She was so angry with her mother, calling off the alliance like she had. Everything was happening so fast, she felt as if it were spiraling out of control. According to officials, they had needed to leave in the dead of night because the queen had asked for her daughter to be returned as soon as possible. Daphne had been told nothing else.

Niles was still asleep now, she knew, but soon he would awake and then what would happen? She squeezed her eyes shut tight.

Just a few hours ago they had said that they loved each other and now they were never going to see each other again. What would happen to her? Niles was the only one that she wanted to be with, and no doubt she would be taken to another kingdom to marry another prince. The thought felt slippery and hard inside her stomach, and she felt a tear creep down her face.

Wanting to go someplace far, she leaned her head against the window and fell into a light and frantic sleep.

* * *

Her dream ached with horrible reality. It was bright at first, so bright it hurt her eyes. She saw nothing but water at her feet, and looking down she saw it had no bottom. Suddenly, she began to sink into the white waters of the dream, the brightness slowly becoming dark. When she screamed, water filled her mouth and choked her, and she felt herself going deeper. Staring at the surface, she saw the blurry image of Niles, walking past, saddened. He was missing her, there in the water. He was her only hope, and when she tried to beckon him her lungs gave out. And so she was sucked into the horrifying depths with the knowledge that she had never gotten to say goodbye.

She awoke silently, at least for a moment. When she had awoken fully, she took deep breaths and reminded herself that such a thing had not really happened, but looking at it further, she realized that it had.

It was daytime now, and the caravan was still moving. She saw that they had come to the forest stretch of their journey. Light moved through the trees and into her carriage and landed on the yellow dress she could barely remember putting on.

Before she could think of anything else, she heard three gunshots, one right after another, and shouting. Horses neighed, reigns jingled, and Daphne looked out the window to see men on horseback approaching quickly, their rifles poised to shoot. She knew what this was now, they were her for her, and who knew what they would do to her, hurt her, kill her, do unmentionable things to her all for a ransom. A tall man came up front, his head held high, his back straight. His hair was red, his face young, only a few years older than Daphne. "Just give us the princess and we'll be on our way," he said loudly. "We are prepared for a fight, and we have you circled and outnumbered."

Her heart raced. Daphne looked out the other window and found that they had not completely circled them yet. There was a clear path right outside her door into the woods, and it was her only hope and her only chance. Thoughts about what could happen flowed in her head, and with all the thought in the world she opened the carriage door and stepped out quietly, flying into the shelter of the trees.

"Where's the princess?" Cried the same voice as Daphne fled farther and farther. She tripped and fell and nearly screamed as she heard gunfire behind her, gunfire of both parties.

_Roz, _she thought, knowing that she very well might have been dead by now, along with several others.

She lied down on the forest floor, panting for breath and wondering what to do. Sooner or later, the bandits would come looking for her in these woods and there would be nowhere to turn. She didn't know where she was, only that the caravan was travelling north to get to Ordonea's Capital.

When she arched her head up, sweat ran down her back and she was reminded that it was summer. It was morning, and although it was hard to see the sun due to the trees, she could tell which way was north. She began walking that way at once, having no idea how long it would take her to get there.

As she walked, she cried.


	10. Chapter 10

Niles did not come out of his room all day, not even for food, although it was brought to him. Daphne was gone, and he would never see her again. The thought echoed through his whole body and it reeked of the emptiness that he felt.

_Daphne, _he thought every moment of the day, imagining the kisses they had shared. They were going to be married, they were going to be happy, they were going to spend their lives side by side. All had crashed down on him, and he wondered how he could possibly live this way.

The next day he had opened his door and walked out into the hall, only to be greeted by a handful of servants asking how he was. He answered calmly and kept walking, not knowing where to go. The statue room was his first thought, but then he remembered what had gone on in there two days ago and skipped it. He started for the balcony and then turned back. The garden was not an option, so he decided to take a stroll out into the stable.

It was a cloudy day, and but the heat still stuck to Niles like static. Once inside the stable, he reached out and patted the neck of his horse Applewhite, who was white like dirty snow.

"Prince!" Called a stable hand. "Feeling up to a ride? I can get Applewhite all set up for you."

"Uh, no, but thank you," he replied, continuing to stroke the horse's neck. A few minutes later, a young messenger boy ran up to him and said, "Your Majesty the King wants to see you. He has something important to tell you. He said to come quickly."

So Niles followed the messenger boy into the King Martin's chambers, where he sat down in front of his father and waited.

"Niles, there's something you need to know," he began.

"What is it, Father?"

"I need to tell you, but promise me that when I do you won't go off and do something stupid."

"Father, please just tell me."

"Princess Daphne is missing."

Niles was shocked and confused, so much so that he felt tired. "Dad…what do you mean? Isn't she on her way back to Ordonea?"

"She was, but no one's seen her caravan in awhile." 

He was silent, his mind beginning to grasp what it meant. Anything could be happening to Daphne, or she could be already dead. "Thanks for telling me," he said softly, tears in his eyes.

Niles got up and started to leave, already planning what he was going to do to go and find her.

…

That day dragged on slowly as Niles gathered up supplies, lifting bread and fruit from the kitchen and filling canteens of water, as well as taking a map from the palace library. Niles put all of these things in a leather sack. He had a swift plan to take place that night. He would tell his father that he was going out for an evening walk in the gardens, go out the gate, run to the stables and get his horse. After, he would ride into the woods as inconspicuously has possible and find his way from there.

In the evening, he took the leather back out to Applewhite's stall and then went back to his room, changed his clothes into something more suitable for travelling. The last thing to do was go to King Martin and tell him he was going out and would be back shortly.

The doors to King Martin's chambers were closed, but Niles knew that he was inside. He knocked on the door and got an answer soon after. "Hello, son, what's going on?" He asked.

"Uh…Father, I'm…going for a stroll." 

"All right. Niles, are you okay? I mean, about the princess and everything." 

"No, I don't think I am. I thought that that taking a walk outdoors might help to clear my mind."

"I know it's hard, son. Getting betrothed to a girl you don't know, falling in love with her, having her taken away, and now this… I'm sorry. This wouldn't happen if you were just a regular kid."

"I suppose it wouldn't," Niles said softly. He touched his father on the shoulder and walked away. He felt sad, but he knew that some way he'd make a way back to his family. He'd see them again, surely.

The night was silent and warm as he slipped through the garden gate. It would be a long walk just to get to the stables, but under the light of the moon he felt content and free, fearless and alive. After he had reached the stables, he ducked into Applewhite's stall, patted the mane of his horse, and looked for a place to rest. Unfortunately, every place he looked there was dirt or germs, and he feared touching such places. Finally, he settled on sitting on a saddle blanket on the stone floor. It was close to bed now, so his family would go to sleep assuming that Niles was still on his walk, and they wouldn't order guards to search for him. He took a deep breath, knowing that if he didn't leave soon there would be more guards around and they would be at their most active time of day. He mapped out his plan again, stayed and rested for a few more minutes, then got up, put his leather bag around his shoulders, made sure he had everything, and rode to the back of the stables. He passed a stable worker and said that he was going for night ride, and then he faced the woods in the shadow of the stable. The worker had gone inside and could not see him, and slowly he began to inch towards the woods, slowly creeping out of the shadow. The guards could see him now if they wanted to, he would just need to be cautious and careful not to attract their eye. When he had finally reached the safety of the trees, he ordered his horse into a stiff run and they galloped away.

When they had come a long ways away from the palace, Niles lit up the lantern he had attached to his saddle to help his see better. He was surrounded by trees, and in candle light the shadows shuddered and leaped. Above him were the soft sky and the bright moonlight. He took out the map from his bag and tried to decipher where he was, and when he had, Niles found out that if he rode all night, he would come to the place where Daphne would have been on their journey. First he'd ride around the cities to avoid being recognized, and then he'd ride on the country road. He didn't know how long she'd been missing or how far she had gotten, but he would know where to begin looking.

This was pointless and ridiculous, he suddenly realized. How could he find Daphne? She might be in a different country, or somewhere completely off of their path. But there was no way he could sit around and do nothing while she could be in danger. He had made it his far, but there was still time to turn back. He had only been riding for maybe a half an hour. He bit his lip and kept going. Daphne had to be found, even if it meant the entire earth would be covered in the hoof prints of Applewhite.


End file.
